Is Merck a good company to work for?

Merck has an overall rating of 4.1 out of 5, based on over 8,199 reviews left anonymously by employees. This rating has been stable over the past 12 months. 82% of employees would recommend working at Merck to a friend and 72% have a positive outlook for the business. The best reviews about Merck have been left by employees working as Co-Op , Intern and Internship .

Does Merck pay their employees well?

According to anonymously submitted Glassdoor reviews, Merck employees rate their compensation and benefits as 4.1 out of 5. Find out more about salaries and benefits at Merck. This rating has been stable over the past 12 months.

How satisfied are employees working at Merck?

82% of Merck employees would recommend working there to a friend based on Glassdoor reviews . Employees also rated Merck 4.0 out of 5 for work life balance, 3.9 for culture and values and 3.7 for career opportunities.

What are the top reviewed jobs at Merck?

Associate Director (237) , Director (193) , Intern (171) , Senior Scientist (165) , Sales Representative (117) , Scientist (94) , Associate Principal Scientist (93) , Senior Specialist (92) , Project Manager (88) , Manager (86) , Pharmaceuticals Sales Representative (59) , Specialist (59) , Associate Specialist (58) , Operations Manager (51) , Business Analyst (49)

What are the pros of working at Merck according to real employee reviews?

"Benefits are good (middle of road for pharma) Great when compared to other industries" ((in 740 reviews)); "There has been some really great people that have worked in Durham but many have left." ((in 520 reviews)); "Ambient friendly with good pay" ((in 337 reviews)); "Working in maintenance the work can have pressure at times but overall has a good work/life balance." ((in 330 reviews)); "The culture was great and very inclusive" ((in 277 reviews))

What are the cons of working at Merck according to real employee reviews?

"Poor management; lack of trust between management and reps" ((in 228 reviews)); "Frequent layoffs and reorgs." ((in 145 reviews)); "Merck discovered this ticket and Manager Y and his/her boss called to discuss with me." ((in 110 reviews)); "upper management seems confused; jobs get eliinated" ((in 82 reviews)); "Poor leadership and talent management" ((in 76 reviews))

What are employees saying about Merck layoffs in 2026?

Explore Glassdoor’s employee reviews to understand what current and former employees are saying about Merck layoffs and their outlook for job security at Merck in 2026.

What are the top reviewed Merck locations?

West Point , Rahway , Kenilworth , Durham , Philadelphia , North Wales , Boston , Elkton , Lansdale , Whitehouse Station , Summit , New York , Newark , South San Francisco , Los Angeles , Cambridge , Millsboro , Wilson , Whitehouse , Branchburg , Jersey City , Charlotte , Madison , Raleigh , Chicago , New Brunswick , Elkhorn , Washington , Houston , San Francisco

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Merck

Merck reviews

4.1

82% would recommend to a friend

(6,178 total reviews)

Rob Davis

82% approve of CEO

72% positive business outlook

Ratings by category

4.1

Diversity & inclusion

4.1

Compensation and benefits

4.0

Work/Life balance

3.9

Culture & values

3.7

Career opportunities

3.5

Senior management

Merck has an employee rating of 4.1 out of 5 stars, based on 6,178 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have an excellent working experience there. The Merck employee rating is in line with the average (within 1 standard deviation) for employers within the Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology industry (3.5 stars).

Ratings by demographic groups

Race / Ethnicity

Gender

Sexual orientation

Disability

Parent or family caregiver

Veteran status

Reviews by job title

6K reviews

4.0

Sep 30, 2013

Merck ..a large pharmaceutical company with a top down approach...

Senior sales representative

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Open to flexible job arrangements, good salary and benefits. Can be a great place to work depending on direct manager and division. There is a lot of variability in the quality of management!

Cons

Large corporation with a top down approach, not a lot of room for individual creativity. Legal aspects of the pharmaceutical industry have really impacted ability to drive results and the Sunshine Act is impacting ability to interact with key customers. Product launch and development has been less than ideal for the past 5-8 years and the future is questionable for at least the next 2-3 years.

3.0

Sep 26, 2013

Merck is currently undergoing an identity crisis and is uncertain about its path forward

Director

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Smart friendly colleagues. Excellent resources

Cons

Top down management style Emphasis on creating "centers of excellence" is hindering innovation

3.0

Sep 26, 2013

Stressful, but still an excellent company

Senior specialist, quality

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

knowing that our products contribute to health and wellness, especially in the vaccine world where we can actually prevent illness and death

Cons

Stressful environment, but that is new reality for any company in our current economy. No longer feel like a job here is "winning the golden ticket" but to go to another pharma in area is more of the same.

Viewing 5386 - 5388 of 6,178 Reviews

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Merck

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Ratings by category

Ratings by demographic groups

Reviews by job title

Merck ..a large pharmaceutical company with a top down approach...

Merck is currently undergoing an identity crisis and is uncertain about its path forward

Stressful, but still an excellent company

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